


Before We Get Old

by Lyrishadow



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-02
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:22:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29794629
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lyrishadow/pseuds/Lyrishadow
Summary: Egan Shepard knew life on the streets, knew life in a gang, and he knew what he wanted out of things or so he thought. Meeting Kaidan Alenko changes his path and his life forever.
Relationships: Kaidan Alenko/Male Shepard
Kudos: 4





	Before We Get Old

**Author's Note:**

> This is Egan Shepard's long fic, the story I have been waiting to post until I was sure I had some written for you. I wanted to do it justice because I adore Egan and Kaidan.

Egan Shepard had been alone and on the streets for as long as he remembered. His aim in life was merely to survive. He had been beaten into the Tenth st Reds as they did to all new kids to the gang, forcing them into the inside of a circle of gang thugs and making them fight their way out. Succeed and join the gang, fail and they tossed you back on the street without medical care and you either died or were picked up by the police. Egan succeeded, better than most in fact, he had definitely shouted his way through almost the entire gang at the age of three.  
Egan was always thin, mostly from not eating, he worked hard for his now boss Kip. Kip Garen was volatile, the kind who sooner hit you as praise you, you never quite knew which you would get with him. Egan was someone Kip had decided to train up to take over, the time it took Egan to grow into himself, Kip had insisted on basic schooling, and a strict exercise routine. By the time Egan found out about his biotics it was clear he held a special place beside the boss. The biotics were dealt with quickly, like most matters concerning Egan. He had his amp surgery and learned on the job how scared even seeing someone comfortable with their biotics made people. So Egan became very comfortable, and skilled, by the time he was 15.  
One particular night he had stolen two bottles of beer and was heading for a quiet place looking over the Vancouver city skyline, when he rounded the corner to see three of Kip's pet thugs preparing to beat, and likely rob a dark haired man, he was only a little older than Egan, well dressed, rich looking, he clearly did not belong in their part of town.  
"What are you doing?" Egan asked coming around the corner scowling at them "Does Kip pay you to beat up random people?"  
"He's a stray, Egan, keep out of it." The front man for the three sneered.  
"Keep out of it?" Egan stood between the man and the thugs, tapping his foot in front of him "If you touch him, Kip has to deal with cops coming around, and what has he said?"  
"He's got money, we want the money. This shouldn't be a thing to you."  
Well, they were correct to some degree, most of the time he alleviated the finances of people himself. However, Egan had a good look at the man before he stepped in, and had liked what he had seen. As much as his boss didn't care who Egan hooked up with or talked to, it played a part in this intervention. Egan smiled at the thugs, his smile one of danger that warned of impending doom.   
"Do you want to find out how hard a biotic assisted punch is?" His hand glowed blue and as expected the thugs all took a step back. "Or maybe I should report you to Kip." This was punctuated by tossing the eerie blue from hand to hand, causing the man behind him to gasp, and the thugs in front of him moved back again.  
"We will get revenge Egan, you wait." The leader crumbled in his offense, Egan was not concerned. "Lets go."   
"Good, maybe actually stay on the door this time," Egan sighed then turned to find the man behind him still terrified.  
"Hi there, let's get out of here." Egan reached forward and grabbed the man's gloved hand pulling him along until they reached a very graffiti covered concrete block, which marked the territory as that of the Tenth st reds.  
"Ah.. thanks?" The man was shaking a little still. "I thought you were going to join in.."  
"What? No, I have more class than they do." Egan scoffed  
"You're a biotic?" The man had seen his little display but he did not sound terrified or like he was grossed out by it.  
"Yeah, hell of a thing, terrifies the thugs." Egah shrugged, he had been training himself for a while now. He knew very well how deadly his little abilities were. Space magic, Kip called it.  
"You just tossed it around like it wasn't…" the man trailed off staring down at his feet, Egan saw a range of emotions pass over his face.  
"Like it wasn't?" Egan was curious, this man made him curious.  
"Nothing, forget it." Good looking finally looked up at him " I ah, should go."  
"I'd hoped you might like a beer?"  
"Oh," clearly Egan had caused a lot of confusion for the man but he didn't care, on one hand he wanted a friend, on the other he was finding this man attractive.  
"Stay. Make it so I don't drink both." Egan suggested "You may also tell me anything you like, ask me anything…"  
"Hm how old are you?" The man paused, shook his head and smiled "what's your name?"  
"My name is Egan Shepard. I'm 15 years old." Egan took the beer from the bag he had with him and handed it to the other man "and fair is fair, what's your name?"  
"Kaidan Alenko." The man bowed slightly revealing stunningly neat brown hair, Egan resisted the urge to run his hand through the silky mass.  
"Kaidan" Egan tried the name " Good name."  
"Well, thanks I guess." Kaidan was still nervous, Egan was not entirely surprised, it was a hell of a thing to be held up by those thugs.  
"You okay?"   
"I...um.. what is it you want from me?" Kaidan obviously thought Egan was going to rob him or worse.  
"Would you be surprised if I said nothing?" Egan shrugged " You looked like you needed a break, I have a spare beer, and this is a good spot to drink." He pointed to the city spread out below them, though it was late, the lights still twinkled.   
"Oh. Wow." Kaidan turned and took a sip of the beer.   
"It would be more spectacular if there was a sunrise or sunset going on but, yeah it's nice." Egan shifted glancing at Kaidan again. "So what are you running from that put you in our territory? "  
"I'm pretty sure I wasn't…"  
"I can see it on your face. " Egan sighed, most people were unsure of the observations of a fifteen year old  
"On my face?" Kaidan asked, shocked.  
"Yes,you show a lot there." He turned grinning, hoping flirting worked " Here, let me look at you, read you."  
“I… are you even really fifteen?”  
Egan laughed, he had been called philosophical by his enemies for most of his life. He was smart, and that also scared a lot of his contemporaries in the gangs.  
“I am indeed. Just a wise ass with a big mouth, who doesn’t like a good looking man getting into trouble.”  
“Not sure about the good looking.” Kaidan gave him a crooked smile, yes there was definitely something below the surface, this guy was a tough nut though.  
“So what are you running from, Good Looking?” Egan said in all seriousness.  
“Myself most likely.” Kaidan sighed “Had an argument with my folks and was walking it off.”  
“Folks?” It wasn’t a term Egan had come across.  
“Parents? You don’t have…?” Kaidan closed his mouth, shaking his head. “Of course not. Sorry.”  
“Nope, not a soul.” Egan shrugged “I don’t advise it, but I am still around. So you had an argument? About?”  
“Ah hell, what harm can it do to tell a random stranger…” Kaidan laughed “I’m a biotic too.”  
“You are?” Egan frowned, the man hadn’t even shown it, when they had him backed into the corner. “You could have gotten rid of the thugs on your own.”  
“No beer though.” Kaidan took another mouthful.  
“And no biotic display either." Egan observed "Not even in anger?”  
“I wasn’t angry. A little frightened but not angry.” Kaidan exhaled slowly “I have to keep a tight rein on my biotics, if I don't… Egan, in your line of work do people die?“  
“I try not to be the cause, but there have been times I can’t prevent it.”Egan shrugged “It’s a rough world.”  
“What would you do if it was you who killed someone, in anger …. Accidently.” Kaidan set his bottle down on the concrete before running his hands through his hair.  
“I would first deal with the fall out. Get in a ton of trouble most likely.” Egan replied, watching his newest friend closely “Then I would find myself and get on with living.”  
“Find yourself? And please don’t tell me that it's a cheesy line..”  
“What from watching too many reruns on TV? No, I really believe we all have a place we fit. A person we fit with.”  
“So you are a romantic.” Kaidan chuckled “I was … I think.”  
“You are still you, you just haven’t found that yet.” Egan shrugged “I haven’t either.”  
“You really are somewhat different to most people.” Kaidan agreed “More depth to you than I expected when you dragged me up here.”  
“I get that a lot.” Egan smirked “I have become used to being a philosopher, you do or you die in my world. I didn’t want to lose what soul I had to the streets.”  
“Seems wise.”   
“Look, Kaidan, I don’t know the story, and I get the impression you aren’t comfortable telling me.”  
“Not yet.”  
“Well, here's the thing, the more you try and run from something the more it fucks with your head.”  
“Wow.” Kaidan sat up suddenly “We have been sitting here for over an hour and that is the first time you swore.”  
“I don’t unless the situation calls for it.”Egan shrugged “It makes my boss happy, and I’ve lived in his shadow since I was three.”  
“Sorry.”Kaidan said again, “I have so much privilege, hell even get help from my dad if I need it… I just don't..”  
“We are all the same Kaidan.” Egan placed a hand on Kaidan’s shoulder “You, and me, we can be friends because underneath the circumstances, under appearances, we are all the same.”  
“Heh, Even aliens?”  
“Yeah, even them.” Egan reluctantly removed his hand, curses he liked this guy. “Look, I will be here every week at the same time.”  
“Ok?”  
“If you want to come down and chat and have a beer, this is where I will be.” Egan laughed “I like you.”  
“You are a weird kid.” Kaidan shook his head in reply “You make me want to be a better me, and I don’t even know how or why.”  
“Well, let’s not worry right now, look over there.”  
On the horizon the sun was rising, casting a light orange glow in the sky, and highlighting the clouds. Egan smiled, he loved this time of day.  
“Thanks.” Kaidan’s voice was quiet, as he sat watching the sun rise. Egan swore to himself that someday, he would hear Kaidan being happy, and by the stars that shine in the sky, Egan was going to be part of his life.  
The next week, Egan sat quietly on his concrete block glancing around now and then. He was hoping Kaidan would turn up, but he wasn’t even sure if that hadn’t been some kind of dream. Though the bruise on his face from Nickolas - the thug in charge of the small group who had waylaid the man last time, still felt real enough.   
“Wasn’t sure…” Kaidan’s voice caused him to turn around. Kaidan stood there in a hoodie, and jeans. “Egan.”  
“I thought you were some kind of dream.” Egan replied with a chuckle as Kaidan came and sat down.  
“Nightmares are more likely.. Who the hell busted your face?”  
“You might know them as dumb, and his dumbest friends.” Egan said lightly “I’m fine. I have had worse.”  
To Egan’s surprise Kaidan frowned and ran a hand over his face, Egan could feel the electricity between them, like static. He realised Kaidan felt it when he jerked his arm away.  
“Holy hell.” Kaidan shook his hand, frowning. “You know I have been around biotics a lot, but nothing like that has happened before.”  
“Different clothes, shoes, maybe our electricity is routed differently.” Egan replied thinking out loud “Or I am just attractive to yours. Did not touch skin last time you were here.”  
“Yeah.” Kaidan sat down and handed Egan a bag, “Here, I made some food.”  
“Food!” Egan grinned “You sure know the way to a biotics heart.”  
“Ah.” Kaidan turned a shade of red “You aren’t flirting with me are you?”  
“Don’t worry, I flirt with everyone.” Egan lied “but you are a friend right?”  
“Sure. We have deep conversations and you flirt with me.”Kaidan shook his head “I keep forgetting that you are younger.”  
“I still have that effect.” Egan raised an eyebrow amused “It would seem at least. Yeah I am young huh?”  
“Young enough that if I flirted back, someone might put me in jail.” Kaidan joked but Egan could see the concern in his eyes.  
“It’s fine. Let's talk about other things. I wanted to ask you… about last time.”  
“Oh. which part, where I asked if you had murdered someone or looked surprisingly guilty?” Kaidan sighed, kicking his heels hard against the block they were sitting on “sorry, more crap this week.”  
“So tell me about it? Let me be a decent sounding board someone outside..”  
“My dad wants me to join the Systems Alliance.”  
“Oh wow!” Egan’s eyes were wide “I always wanted to, but …”  
“Why but?” Kaidan asked “What makes you think you couldn’t?”  
“My record for one.” Egan took a sip of his beer,”I am a thief, liar and enforcer… I don’t make habits out of being nice to strangers Kaidan, you are… a rare exception.”  
“You stole the beer?”  
“Of course.”  
“They didn’t catch you?”  
“Nope. They never have. I’ve stolen quite a few things over time, I was caught once, when I was five.”  
“Five?”Kaidan sounded a conflicted mass of confusion and horror.  
“Yeah it’s young isn’t it? Wish there was a better place for kids to go.” Egan sighed “But a kid that young has the value of being able to escape notice.”  
“You fell through the cracks then?”  
“I don’t remember.” Egan replied lightly “It’s fine.”  
“Well we make a good pair of people.” Kaidan’s tone was bitter, and it made Egan watch him “I killed someone.”  
“Oh?” Egan processed the information, obviously, Kaidan was hurting from the experience.  
“He deserved… something.. But.. no-one deserves that.” Kaidan sighed, and Egan saw him run his hand through his hair again. “It wasn’t even worth standing up .. my .. friend... Didn’t want anything to do with me ever again.”  
“Then he misses out on you,” Egan replied halfway between mad at the prospect of Kaidan being hurt and jealous that the friend was… someone Kaidan liked as more than a friend. Hardly helpful when they had only really just met.  
“Her,”Kaidan replied quietly. "She was smart, beautiful, gentle… all that, and terrified of me."  
"I'm sorry." Egan reached for his own beer "I can't imagine why anyone would ever walk away from you."  
"You are good for my ego." Kaidan shook his head " I guess I think I deserved it."  
"Kaidan, you can't change the past." Egan sighed "If I found my parents, or stopped whatever made me end up out here...but I can't."  
"I guess so."   
"The only thing we can change is the future." Egan continued, " and who knows what that will be, so I try to live in the present."   
"The here and now?"  
"The here and now." Egan nodded. They sat in companionable silence for a bit while the stars lit overhead.  
"Hey, why not join the Alliance?"  
"I..don't know." Kaidan looked down with a frown before a half grin showed up "why don't you?"  
"I never considered myself worth it?" Egan shifted "Alright, let's say I do join, what do we do if we meet."  
"Before or after you salute me as your commanding officer?"  
"Yeah." Egan chuckled "how do you know I wont be specops before the end of boot camp."  
"You really thought about this haven't you?"  
"Probably too much." Egan shrugged. "I can't exactly escape the reds."  
"Join the marines Egan, don't waste your talents here."  
"Which talent? Getting myself into trouble?"  
"You are a skilled biotic." Kaidan shrugged " and hell, you can run."  
“It can’t be that simple. Kip told me…” Egan fell silent.  
“What did he tell you?”  
“That no-one else is going to want me, my life is with the Reds.” Egan exhaled the breath he didn't realise he had been holding “That I am not worth anything..”  
“He’s wrong.” Kaidan replied “Trust me, I have only known you two weeks and I think you are worth it.”  
“Really?” Egan was sceptical, years of conditioning from Kip had told him he was the last person on the earth who would be accepted into the military.  
“You think that every person in the military didn’t come from someplace?”Kaidan reminded him “At least try when you are 18.”  
“Yeah.”  
“I guess my Dad dreams of me following in his footsteps.” Kaidan replied “I don’t really think I deserve that kind of pride.”  
“If you don’t join the military what are you going to do?”  
“I don’t know.” Kaidan replied truthfully “I’ve tried a few things.”  
“You work now?”  
“Yeah. In the city at an electronics store.”Kaidan shrugged “It’s not challenging really.”  
“Then you are wasting your time.” Egan replied with an eyebrow quirk “because if you aren’t being challenged, you won’t survive.”  
“Maybe.”  
“Look, I am going to borrow your dream, going to apply to the marines when Im 18.” Egan grinned “If I find you there, good.”  
“Yeah, you would still have to salute me.” Kaidan laughed, Egan smiled wider, it was a good sound to hear the man laugh, it had taken all evening for him to relax.  
“Yeah ok.” Egan gave a sloppy salute to Kaidan “How’s that?”  
“Terrible but likely what I deserve.” Kaidan glanced at the city skyline “Would you look at that?” the sun was rising again and setting the world on fire.  
“I wonder what the stars are like?” Egan replied, “What sunrise is on other worlds?”  
“Yeah, you made your point. I will get the paperwork from my dad.”  
“You will make him proud.” Egan said softly “And I will promise here and now, on this concrete block, that I will join the marines.”  
“So I will read about your saving the galaxy one day, eh Egan?”  
“If … well if they even want me.” Egan sighed “I said I would try not that I am sure if they would want me.  
“Hold to the dream.” Kaidan said “I think you have already rubbed off on me, you hear what I am saying?”  
“Philosopher Kaidan.” Egan replied with a grin “But yeah I hear it, and I will. I promise.”  
They met up week after week for months, Egan looking forward to seeing Kaidan and not sure if it was reciprocated except that Kaidan kept coming back.   
They talked about everything, anything, Egam had never been more glad that he stopped the thugs; Kaidan relaxed a little more and told him about his biotics, and being taken from his home off to ‘Brain camp’ and how it had messed him up. Egan told him how everyone expected him to take over running the Reds, how he hated the gang and the life it offered. 

Then one day Kaidan came and Egan was gone.


End file.
